KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety & Liaison Mr Mxolisi Kaunda has asked police to work around the clock to find the truck driver who knocked down traffic officer Thokazani Cele while on duty in Estcourt on Sunday (August 26).
Kaunda described the incident as a huge blow to the Traffic Fraternity and a setback to the department’s commitment to saving lives on the road.
“This is a great loss to the department. The manner in which Cele died was unfortunate. It clearly indicates that the suspect is an irresponsible driver, as he failed to stop. Road users must understand that traffic officers are on the road to keep them safe. I urge all law enforcement officers to strain every nerve to find the suspect.
“Anyone who may have witnessed the incident must assist the police with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect,” said Kaunda.
Initial story: RTI officer killed in hit ‘n run on the N3
The MEC has sent his deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.
He also called upon the police to exercise extreme caution as they execute their duties to protect the lives of the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
Cele, who was stationed at Midway in Estcourt, and his colleagues were on duty doing a speed arrest. During the operation, a truck failed to stop and knocked him down.
Cele died instantly and the driver of the truck fled the scene.
A case of hit and run was opened at Ladysmith police station and police are following up on all possible leads to bring the suspect to book.
Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Join us there!
At Caxton, every story is written by humans. We use AI only to perform quality checks - never to generate the news. Happy reading!
